Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-04-28
THE LOST PICTURE.


paper:
at is said that the rising young ar
tist, Mr.. Clarence Greyson, who pict-
ures made such success at the Acade-
my this year, is shortly to be united in
marriage to the charming and wealthy
widow, Mrs. Edith Vane. The mar
riage will take place some time during
the autumn or water"
The newspaper fell from Rose Lester's
trembling hands, and she flung them up
to her face with bitter cry:
"Oh, God! it can't be true!'
Then she arose, and stood before q
picture, for it was the only one upon
the bare staring walls.
1t was water-color sketch, small,
but beautiful-the laughing blooming
face of a fair young girl, peeping from
out bower of clustering roses One
white and lovely hand, upraised, was
full of the glowing blossoms, and made
as if about to fling them at the behold
er 1t was simply framed, and under
meath it was written, in mans hand:
my Rose of Roses" "
1t was her own portrait.
Only three yearsr she sighed bitter
ly. and dropped her face upon her
hands with dry fearless sob of pain.
TOO long a test for a mans constancy.
l shall be true to him until die"
And then her memory went back to
the olden days when first she knew and
loved him. That was during her IA
theirs lifetime. f.
Clarence had been engaged to give
her drawing lessons merely. The re-
putedly wealthy Mr.. Lester stared
aghast at the presumption of the poor
and struggling artist who dared raise
his eyes with thought of love TO his
heiress and only child.
Though l won't be too hard upon
you," he said, II desire only to secure
my daughters welfare. She is young
yet, only eighteen, and can afford to
wait year or two. Take a year to
show me what you can really tlo."
The cunning man of the world said
to himself: .... ...
"If l oppose them shall only incite
her 10 rebellion. I'll seem to SYM
pathize and separate them quietly; Rose
will forget the fellow when he's gone" "
But there are some natures that never
forget. and Rose Loster's was one Of
them.
MIR. Lester exerted his influence to
= obtain for Clarence position to travel
with wealthy amateur to Italy.
He was making collection of paint
inn nd Ne
more experienced Judgment than his
own. The journey would secure to
the artist many advantages and a fair
salary.
At their parting Rose gave her lover
the portrait which his own hands had
painted. 1t had been her fathers, but
he said nothing against the disposition
she made of it.
81 will keep the original" said he,
'and when you claim her you can give
the picture back"
30 Clarence bade farewell to his Rose
of Roses, and she set herself to the task
of waiting patiently for his return. Oh,
if that weary waiting had been for only
one year!
But it had heightened out to three
three years without sign, without a
word-three years of strange and bitter
changes; and to-day Rose Lester had
only the picture that had strangely
come back to her and her own heart
pangs left of the old sweet love, and
rumor assigned Clarence to another.
"But that may be untrue" she
thought trying to escape from her own
Jealous anguish. "How seldom does
common rumor speak the truth? And
to Edith Vane, above all others! Surely
Edith would have told me If it were so?
She is not like the rest of the cold
world. Reverse of fortune has not
robbed me of her sympathy and friend
ship, though it raised her from poverty
to wealth, and dragged me down from
wealth to poverty. She loves me still,
though | am but her paid embroideress.
will take home her work to-day, and
ask her the question.
You read it in the papersv' laughed
MIS- Vane, as she looked over and ad-
mired the delicate work that Rose had
brought her. "How do those papers get
at ones little secrets so, l WonderP
There is grain of truth in it, dear:
and you shall do some extra fine work
for the occasion, if you will, when it ar
rives; but Why, dear Rose, how
pale you are! Oh, Rose, this close hard
work is killing you! Do give it up-if
only for q while-and come and live
with me. Nay, dear, don't be SO proud;
when you were a rich heiress, or sup
posed to be one, and | a poor governess
at your school-five years your senior,
and with only little beauty for my
dower-didn't you take me to yogr
house one vacationP And isn't it to
that that ! owe all my present wealth.
How else should / have known the gen.
erous man who loved and married me,
showing my poyertyp Oh, that he had
lived! fdid love him, Rose. Clarence
areyson, with all his fame and fascina-
ion, will scarcely replace the love / |
ost But will you come and visit me
or whilep l am sure you must be |